Self-occupied

When we do not have enough interest in the world around us, then we are thrown back into ourselves. Taken all in all, we have to say that if we look at the chief damages created by modern civilization, they arise primarily because people are far too concerned with themselves and do not usually spend the larger part of their leisure time in concern for the world but busy themselves with how they feel and what gives them pain … And the least favorable time of life to be self-occupied in this way is during the ages between 14, 15 and 21 years old.

The capacity for forming judgments is blossoming at this time and should be directed toward world-interrelationships in every field. The world must become so all-engrossing to young people that they simply do not turn their attention away from it long enough to be constantly occupied with themselves. For, as everyone knows, as far as subjective feelings are concerned, pain only becomes greater the more we think about it. It is not the objective damage but the pain of it that increases as we think more about it. In certain respects, the very best remedy for the overcoming of pain is to bring yourself, if you can, not to think about it.

Source: Rudolf Steiner – GA 302a – Education and Instruction: Education for Adolescents – Stuttgart, June 21, 1922

Translated by Clifford Bax

Previously posted on August 22, 2017

Advertisement

Fundamental error

It is our task in the study of method (in education and teaching) always to engage the whole individual. We could not do this without focussing our attention on the development of an artistic feeling with which the individual is endowed. This will also dispose the individual later to take an interest in the whole world as far as his nature permits. The fundamental error until now has always been that people have set themselves up in the world with nothing but their heads; they have at the most dragged the rest of their bodies after them. And the result is that the other parts now follow the lead of their animal impulses and live themselves out emotionally — as we are experiencing just now in the very curious wave of emotionalism which has spread from East Europe. This has occurred because the whole individual has not been cultivated. But it is not only that the artistic element must be cultivated, too, but the whole of our teaching must be drawn from the artistic element. All method must be immersed in the artistic element. Education and teaching must become a real art. Here, too, knowledge must not be more than the underlying basis.

Source: Rudolf Steiner – GA 294 – Practical Course for Teachers – Stuttgart, 21st August, 1919

Translated by Harry Collison

Sacrifice and karma

Who then are those who principally labour for the good of humanity in general, and who set themselves universal tasks in later incarnations? They are those who in earlier incarnations, have in some way or other died a death of sacrifice. The devotional natures, those given up to the spiritual here on the earth, owe this to their life of martyrdom in a previous incarnation. The earth could not progress unless people sacrificed themselves.

Source: Rudolf Steiner – GA 157a – The Forming of Destiny and Life after Death – Lecture 3 – Berlin, 20th November 1915

Translated by Harry Collison

Previously posted on November 28, 2017

The honest knowledgeable person knows that he does not know all that much

The honest knower always knows less than the not so honest one. The honest knower holds him or herself to be far less intelligent than the one who flippantly contrives some alleged all-embracing knowledge for other people.

Source (German): Rudolf Steiner – GA 273 – Das Faust-Problem/Die romantische und die klassische Walpurgisnacht – Dornach, January 18, 1919 (page 222)

Translated by Nesta Carsten-Krüger

Previously posted on November 23, 2017

Why did this widespread disaster overcome the world?

We can ask: Why did this widespread disaster overcome the world? (Steiner refers to the first world war.) Indeed, the ultimate reason is that the interests of people have become so superficial that it scarcely reaches beyond the most mundane. Of course, if people cease to be interested in the stars, they start to be interested in chatting in cafés; when the human being stops pondering his relationship to the higher hierarchies, the longing to waste his time with commonplace play awakens. One only needs to look at the interests which satisfy the leading circles of humanity, see what these people do from morning till evening! And if one looks at this with understanding, then one will not be surprised that such a debacle as has happened, overcame humanity. After all, people are happy these days when they can define one thing or another with ease, characterise a concept in just a few words! They are pleased when something or other is easy to understand.

Source (German): Rudolf Steiner – GA 190 – Vergangenheits- und Zukunftsimpulse im sozialen Geschehen – Dornach, March 30, 1919 (page 103)

Translated by Nesta Carsten-Krüger

Previously posted on November 21, 2017